Festive Season Efforts for Cats Without Owners

While not all cats experience Christmas alongside their owners, enjoying activities like resting by a fireplace or playing with tree ornaments, certain compassionate individuals are dedicated to ensuring a festive season for felines spending Christmas apart from a home environment. These efforts encompass Christmas decorations, turkey meals, and even an appearance by Santa Paws. Susie Phillips, associated with Shropshire Cat Rescue, stated, “We like them to think it’s a special time of year.” Ms. Phillips serves as both a volunteer and a trustee for the organization, which offers shelter and care to abandoned and unwanted cats within the county. The charity accommodates several cats in wooden huts, which it refers to as its “retirement village.” Each of these huts is adorned with exterior lights and interior wall-hangings illustrating Christmas scenes. Additionally, the charity encourages individuals to contribute presents for the cats and requests children to compose letters to Santa Paws on the cats’ behalf. Ms. Phillips described some of the responses as “really sweet.” She recounted, “One was saying that their cat would like a pink ping-pong ball and another was asking for all cats to have love.” Annually on Christmas Eve, a volunteer assumes the role of Santa Paws, delivering toys to all the cats deemed to have been good. Ms. Phillips commented, “It’s really good fun.” She added, “Last year the cats were just sneaking into the basket of goodies and nicking their own.” This event is broadcast live on social media platforms, contributing to the small charity acquiring 250,000 followers and 2.8 million likes on its TikTok account. Clare Herzig, responsible for managing the social media accounts, stated, “They all love seeing Santa Paws coming to give all the cats their little presents on Christmas Eve. “It’s lovely.”” Subsequently, on Christmas Day, the volunteers provide turkey dinners for the cats. Ms. Phillips remarked, “It’s really nice and Christmassy.” In another part of the county, the Castle Cats cattery, situated near Shifnal, provides care for felines whose owners are away for Christmas, either traveling internationally or visiting relatives. Charlotte Humphries and her mother Eileen have managed this establishment for 23 years. Charlotte indicated that most stays typically last for three or four days; however, for owners traveling to more distant locations, such as to visit family in Australia, the duration could extend up to a month. Consequently, Christmas represents a busy period for them, and she stated, “I like to make a fuss of them.” This “fuss” encompasses lights and decorations adorning the cat pens, turkey served on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, Christmas carols broadcast through loudspeakers, and even bows affixed to the cats’ collars. Ms. Humphries mentioned that the sole item she and her mother disapproved of was tinsel. She commented, “I don’t like tinsel – I’m not a tinsel person.” A key question arises: do these cats enjoy their Christmas away from home, and are they even cognizant of what Christmas entails? Ms. Humphries expressed certainty that “they’ll know it’s Christmas” and that this period of the year was consistently “a bit more special.” Similarly, Ms. Phillips held the belief that their cats valued receiving some Christmas affection. She noted that most of these felines originated from households where Christmas is observed, thus making them familiar with traditions such as interacting with decorations or receiving additional treats. Furthermore, she explained that cats perceive changes in human behavior, stating, “People just become happier and jollier. They seem to like it.” Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.